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With three different power options new Ioniq charges ahead of rivals
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It’s an unusual trick, producing the same car with a choice of three powertrains.
The car is the Hyundai Ioniq and you can have it with an electric motor only, or pure EV as it’s known, as a hybrid or as a plug-in hybrid.
And it certainly launches the Korean company into the world of low emission vehicles.
Both the electric and hybrid Ioniqs are available now with the plug-in one arriving halfway through 2017.
It has a decent electric-only range but with the security of a conventional internal combustion engine for longer journeys.
The Ioniq Hybrid is going to have a wider appeal than the pure electric version, not least because it’s a close rival to the well-established Toyota Prius.
If you want maximum aerodynamic efficiency for economy but still want to sit five people, this is what a computer says the car will look like.
Under the Ioniq’s bonnet sits a 1.6-litre direct-injection petrol engine that produces 104bhp. To back this up there’s a 43bhp electric motor.
Drive to the front wheels is via a six-speed double clutch automatic gearbox.
The electric motor’s huge torque from zero revs gives the car a decent shove off the line with 0-62mph in 10.8sec.
A more important number for a car like the Ioniq is what it’ll do to a gallon. Hyundai claims 83.1mpg for its green machine but that’ll require some care to achieve.
Like all hybrid cars, their ace card is town driving – once you get out on to the motorway or dual carriageway their advantage slips away. A trip from London to Cambridge on these types of road resulted in an average of only 54mpg.
The steering is light (which saves energy) but is accurate enough and has enough feel for you to drive the sprightly Ioniq fairly quickly.
The Ioniq switches between electric and petrol power.
The Ioniq is spacious enough for adults front and back and has a 443-litre boot. The interior is good quality and full of extras. The flagship Ioniq has seats that are heated and ventilated, wireless phone charging, Keyless Go, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.